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No. 460,164. Patented Sept. 29, 1891.

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No. 460,164. Patented Sept. 29, 1891.

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No. 460,164. Patented Sept. 29, 1891.

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FRIEND IV. SMITH, JR, AND SAMUEL S. IVILLIAMSON, OF BRIDGEPORT,

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO THE LIGHTNING CHECK PUNCH COM- PANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PUNCH FOR BANK-CHECKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,164, dated September 29, 1891.

Application filed October 2, 1889. Serial No. 325,768. (No model.)

To (0% whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRIEND IV. SMITH, .Ir., and SAMUEL S. WILLIAMSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Punches for Bank-Checks; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in check-punches, and has for its object to simplify the construction of said devices and to greatly facilitate the adaptation of the same in practical use.

With these ends in view our invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements, such as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and then specifically designated by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan of our improvement. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a central vertical section, the operatinglever being in elevation. Fig. 5 is a section on line a; :20 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail plan showing the die-bed.

Similar letters and numerals denote like parts in the several figures.

A is the bed, and B a standard extending upward therefrom and rigidly secured thereto.

C is a spindle swiveled within said bed and standard, so as to be capable of a free rotary movement.

D is a plate rigidly secured to the spindle C, so as to swing therewith, and E is a plate pivoted at 3, between ears F, depending from said plate D.

G are pins extending from the plate D through the plate E and terminating in heads 1, between which latter and the bottom of the plate E are coil-springs 2, whereby the downward movement of said plate E is rendered resilient. The pins G pass loosely through said plate E, and the heads 1. limit the downward movement of the plate E, the springs serving to keep the latter in elevated or normal position.

11 H are feed-rolls journaled, respectively, in the plates D and E, one above the other. WVe prefer to use two sets of these rolls, one at each end of said plates, in order to insure a constant and uniform feed movement, as will be clearly understood from the description hereinafter to be given. The rolls II H are normally in contact, owing to the action of the springs 2.

I is a lever extending around the plate D and pivoted at 3 to the ears F, and 4 are pins extending laterally from opposite sides of the plate E, upon which pins rest fins 5, which depend from aid lever. The function of this lever is to depress the plate E, so that the rolls H II will be separated for the purpose of introducing a check, as will be presently set f'orth.- 6 are ratchet-wheels rigidly secured to the inner sides of rolls -1.

J is a pawl-carrier resting on the plate D and having at each extremity pawls 7, which project into operative engagement with the ratchet-wheels 6;

K is a bell-crank lever pivoted at 8 to the plate D, the ends of said lever being pivoted, respectively, to the carrier J and to a link L, so that it will be readily understood that the reciprocation of said link in the direction in dicated by the arrow will effect a lengthwise reciprocation of the carrier, whereby the pawls 7 will operate to turn the ratchets 6, and thereby revolve the rolls.

9 are bow-springs which bear against the outer sides of the rolls H and serve as frictional detents to prevent the reverse movements of said rolls while the pawls are returned to normal position.

10 is a pin projecting from the plate D through a guide-slot 11 in the carrier, whereby the movement of the latter is rendered uniform and steady.

12 is a flexible fiat spring secured to the plate D and bearing directly upon the carrier J to further steady the movement of the latter and to permit said carrier to rise and fall with a spring action as the pawls ride over the ratchet-wheels 6 and drop into position behind succeeding teeth.

The mechanism consisting of the rolls H II, ratchets 6, pawls 7, carrier J guided as set forth, bell-crank K, link L, and detents 9 constitute our check-feeding means, and the insertion and step-by-step feed is accomplished as follows:

The operator depresses the lever I, inserts the check between the rolls within the space 13, releases the said lever, thereby causing the rolls to grip the check, and by reciprocating the link L in the direction indicated by the arrow effects the intermittent revolution of said rolls, which latter by their movement feed the check step by step.

We will now proceed to describe the means by which the feed is operated and the punching of the check effected.

M is a head integral with or secured to the standard B and having vertically extending therethrough pins 14, capable of a free upand-down movement. These pins terminate at their upper ends in heads 15, between which latter and the head M are coil-springs 16, whereby the movement of said springs is rendered resilient and the normal elevated position of the latter insured. The pins extend below the head M, and on their lower ends are secured the punches N.

O is a guide-plate secured to the head M and provided with slots 17 immediately in front of the pins 14. These slots have flared gates 18, and at the lower ends of said slots and upon the plate 0 are the signs or num- $,77 1,77 2,77 377, 4,77 5,77 (850., identify the punches.

P is the die-bed secured upon or cast with the bed A and having a channel 19, through which the punchings drop from the die within the bed A; p

Q are the dies secured on thebed P and adapted to register with the punches.

Ris an L-shaped operating-lever, the heel of which terminates in a pin 20, fitting loosely in a socket 21 in the link L. The knee of this lever is pivoted at 22 within the spindle C, and the spring 23, secured to the lever by a pin or screw 2% and bearing at its free ends against the said spindle and lever, respectively, keeps said lever in a normal elevated posit-ion. The said lever extends forward above and beyond the guide-plate O, and in crossdiameter said lever is of such dimension as to it easily within the slots 17. Any suitable knob S is secured to the outer end vof this lever.

By grasping the knob S the lever B, spindle 0, plate D, and parts carried thereby are swung in the arc of a circle, and in operating the punches it is merely necessary to swing the lever B until it is above the particular punch to be operated, when the said lever is depressed, thereby forcing the punch into proper engagement with the corresponding die. WVhen the knob is released, the springs 16 and the spring 23 co-operate to return the lever to its normal position. When the for ward end of the operating-lever is depressed, the heel end thereof will be thrown rearward, thereby operating the link L, bell-crank K, and carrier J to return the pawls 7 to normal position, and when said lever is elevated the said pawls will be operated against the ratchets 6 to turn the feed-rolls H H, as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

The most prominent features of our improvement are that the punches and dies are stationary, while the check carrying and feeding mechanisms are shifted in synchronism, and this will be readily understood when it is borne in mind that the lever B and plate D are both secured to the same rock-shaft or spindle 0.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim herein as new is as follows:

1. In a check-punch, the combination of the bed havinga standard projecting therefrom and terminating in a head, an arcuate series of dies and punches supported on said bed and head, respectively, the clamp-carrying check-supporting swinging plate pivoted concentrically with said series and having its forward end moving directly in front thereof, and a pivoted operating-lever moving with said swinging plate and projecting forward and overhanging said punches, substantially as set forth.

2. In a check-punch, the combination, with a series of stationary punches and dies, of a rotary spindle journaled within the body of the check-punch, a single operating-lever pivoted within said spindle and adapted to rotate therewith, a plate rigid with said spindle, a tray pivoted to said plate, feed-rolls journaled one above the other in the plate and tray, respectively, a spring adapted to keep the tray in elevation, whereby said rolls are normally held in contact, and means controlled and operated by the heel of said lever for actuating said rolls, as set forth.

3. In a check-punch, the combination of a segmental row of punches and corresponding dies, a swinging check-receiving clamp be tween the punches and dies, feed-rollers in said clamp, a punch selecting and actuating lever moving with the clamp, and means for operating said rollers from said lever to feed the check, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a check-punch, the combination, with a segmental row of punches and corresponding dies, of a swing comprisingarotatorymember,a plate rigid therewith, a plate pivoted to the first-mentioned plate and parallel thereto, said plates extending between the punches and dies, and asingle selecting and actuating lever pivoted to said rotatory member and carried thereby, substantially as set forth.

5. In a check-punch the combination of a segmental row of punches and corresponding dies, a rotatory member, a plate rigid there-.

with, a plate pivoted to the first-mentioned plate in a position parallel thereto, said plates constituting a check-receiving clamp between said punches and dies, feed-rollers journaled in said plates, respectively, a spring normally maintaining the closed position of said clamp, a single selecting and actuating lever pivoted to and carried by said rotatorymember to operate the punches, and means for operating the feed-rollers from said lever, substantially as set forth.

6. In a check-punch, the combination of the bed having a standard projecting therefrom and terminating in a head, an arcuate series of dies and punches supported on said bed and head, respectively, the swinging plate carrying the check-clamp and pivoted concentrically with said series and extending between the same, and an operating-lever pivoted on said swing and projecting forward In testimony whereof we affix our signatures 30 in presence of two witnesses.

FRIEND W. SMITH, JR. SAMUEL S. XVILLIAMSON. WVitnesses:

J. S. FINoH, XVM. T. HAVILAND. 

